Self-assembled lignin-based flame retardant hybrids carrying Cu for poly(lactic acid) composites with improved fire safety and mechanical properties.

To enhance the flame retardancy and mechanical performance of PLA, a polyelectrolyte complex predicated on lignin was obtained by electrostatic mutual adsorption of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and copper ions as raw materials. The FT-IR spectra and EDX analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of a lignin-based flame retardant hybrid (APL-Cu) containing copper, phosphorus, and nitrogen elements. The combustion test results showed that the peak heat release rate and total heat release of the PLA composite containing 12 wt% APL-Cu were decreased by 15.1 % and 18.2 %, respectively, as compared to those of pure PLA. The char residue morphology observation revealed that the addition of APL-Cu could promote the formation of a highly dense and stable graphitized char layer, while TG-MS detected the emission of refractory gases such as ammonia gas, carbon dioxide, and water during combustion. The strong hydrogen bonding between APL-Cu and the PLA matrix kept the composite maintaining good strength and toughness. The tensile strength and impact strength of PLA/6APL-Cu increased by 4.73 % and 65.71 %, respectively, due to its high crystallinity and good interfacial compatibility. This work provides a feasible method to develop biobased flame retardant hybrids for PLA composites with better fire safety and improved mechanical properties.